Method and device for de-icing of trains

ABSTRACT

Method and device for de-icing of trains is provided in which a glycol heated treatment medium is sprayed against the underside of units in the train such as locomotive and carriages in order to remove ice which has been built up in the base frames of the units.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 11/346,984 filed on Feb. 3, 2006.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a method and device for de-icing of trains, wherein a medium is sprayed against the underside of the units in the train such as locomotive and carriages in order to remove ice which has been built up on the base frames of the locomotive and carriages.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

When trains are run during wintry conditions disturbances in schedule are often seen due to formation of ice around the brakes and bogies. With conventional de-icing systems there is a constant problem with trains which have to be removed from service due to ice formation.

On a standard size train it takes about 10 hours to remove the ice which requires enormous quantities of energy utilizing blowing hot air. In this conventional de-icing process moisture always remains on all parts under the train. When the train thereafter runs out in degrees below freezing point ice crystals are formed immediately under the entire train. These have a pointed and spiny form in its structure which means that the snow immediately clings to them and starts to build up the ice. This effect in combination with heated brakes and quick cooling results in the train quickly building up ice again.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention is to provide a de-icing system in which the drawbacks of the conventional de-icing are eliminated.

This object is achieved in that the method and the device are characterized according to the following description and claims.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be made clear hereinafter.

The invention will in the following be described in connection with an embodiment of a device for de-icing of trains which includes a heater for heating a de-icing medium, a sprayer located near railroad tracks for spraying the underside of trains running on the railroad tracks, a collection tank for collecting the de-icing medium and recirculating pumps for recirculating the de-icing medium.

Additional objects, features and advantages will be apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic a flow chart of the device;

FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-section through collecting tanks in the device which is arranged on a track, and

FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-section similar to FIG. 2 showing the location of the nozzles.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The device 100 illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 comprises a collecting tank 3 designed to be arranged between the rails 2 in the de-icing area of a railway track and a collecting tank 1 to the left and a collecting tank 4 to the right of the rails 2. The tanks 1, 3 and 4 each have a length of approximately 15 meters and are bolted to the sleepers S of the track by means of wood screws. The tank 3 has a width such as it lies between and with suitable space relative to the rails 2, while the tanks 1 and 4 also lie with a space relative to the rails 2 and have a width such as to extend outside of the outer side of the train carriages. At the ends of the collecting tanks 1, 3 and 4 are connections 6 a, 6 b for the supply and for the evacuation of a de-icing medium to and from the tanks 1, 3 and 4.

According to the invention the de-icing medium is a hot glycol which is sprayed on the under sides of the train carriages via a number of nozzles 20, 22, 24, 26 or mouthpieces arranged on the edges of the tanks 1, 3 and 4 e.g. 30 nozzles on the length of 15 meters. The glycol is stored in a tank 7 from which it is delivered to an oil an or electric pan 8 for heating to approximately 90 degrees centigrade. From the tank 7 the glycol is pumped via pumps 9, 10 to the connections 6 a and nozzles 20, 22, 24, 26 of the tanks 1, 3 and 4 in a continuous flow of glycol which is ejected from the tanks 1, 3 and 4.

As shown schematically in FIG. 3, the nozzles 20, 22, 24, 26 are directed upwardly and provide a spray of glycol in the direction shown by the arrow 38 in FIG. 3. The spray from the nozzles 20, 22, 24, 26 covers the underside areas of the train which are between the rails 2 and also covers the underside areas of the train which are located outwardly relative to the rails 2.

The pressurized spray of glycol in a vertical direction against the underside of the train as indicated by the arrow 28 in FIG. 3, combines the effect of the de-icing characteristics of the glycol spray with the direct mechanical impact of the vertical fluid spray resulting in rapid and effective ice removal. The effect of the nozzles 20, 22, 24, 26 is enhanced by the location of the nozzles 20, 22, 24, 26 relatively close to the rails 2 and relative close to the undersides of the train which is directly above rails 2.

The tanks 1, 3, 4 melt the falling ice on the way towards the connections 6 b of the tanks. The evacuated glycol is supplied to a recirculation system 12 which cleans it in order to be used again in the device 100 via a return pump 11 which returns the glycol to the tank 7. A power supply unit 13 is coupled to the pumps 9, 10, 11 and a control module 14 controls the function of the pan 8, the pumps 9, 10, 11 and the recirculation system 12.

The glycol used is propylenglycol which is not inflammable, poisonous or noxious to the environment. By using propylenglycol there is no formation of ice crystals under the train but instead there is a slightly remoistured and somewhat “sticky” surface on which the snow does not easily adhere and this means that ice formation beneath the train is prevented in a very efficient way. Another very big advantage of the present invention 100 is the time factor. With present de-icing plants it can today take nearly 10 hours to de-ice a train with enormous consumption of energy. In the device 100 according to the invention, the train runs in about 10 minutes above the device 100 with a speed of about 25 meters per minute and with very low consumption of energy.

If the plant or device 100 according to the present invention is used regularly in a preventive manner on trains which run in areas with much snow, it will prevent formation of ice in a very efficient way. With the device 100, according to the invention, it will thus be possible to run the trains during winter time without operation disturbances due to formation of ice around brakes and bogies. The device 100 shown may be placed anywhere along the track outdoors, it requires only support of electrical current and is for the rest entirely self-supporting and automatic.

The collecting tanks 1,3,4 are heated as described below. Under the continuing control by the control module 14, approximately once per hour, for approximately five minutes in duration, fluid is sprayed into the collecting tanks 1, 3,4 in order to heat them and melt any snow and ice collected therein. Suction pumps which are controlled by the control module 14 are started and are operated for approximately ten minutes. The operating time of the suction pumps is controlled to ensure that all of the rain, ice and snow collected by the device 100 flows into the system for treatment as described below.

When fluid is pumped into the cleaner 12 it is cleaned to a particle size of 50 microns. The fluid then flows into the storage tank 7. The fluid is heated by the heater 8 with the temperature controlled by the control module 14 and water in the fluid evaporates continuously and exits the device 100 through an exit vent or pipe (which has not been illustrated).

The power supply unit 13 is connected to the pumps 9-11 and the control module 14 controls the function of the heater pan 8, the pumps 9-11 and the recirculation system 12. The control module 14 controls various functions in the device 100. It ensures that all pumps are properly functioning. It also controls fluid flows in relation to the temperatures (it increases the fluid flow in the system if the temperature rises too high in the heater pan 8). It also closes vital functions before a problem arises. It also sends a signal to a GSM-based service system. The control module 14 also monitors the circulation system between the collecting tanks 1,3,4 and the internal circulation system in pan/heat exchanger 8.

The control module 14 also monitors all distress stops in the device 100 and is connected to a distress stop relay which provides a control function so that if a distress stop is activated, no moveable parts such as pumps 10,11 can start when the distress stop activated. Before start of moveable parts an operator must set a knob (not illustrated) to end the distress stop condition of the device 100.

The device 100 according to the present invention also includes a leakage sensor 30 which is connected to the control module 14 and which is located on the floor of the device 100 or below the device 100. In the event of a leak the control module 14 closes all valves and shuts down all pumps 9-11 and places the device 100 in a stand-by mode.

The foregoing specific embodiment of the present invention as set forth in the specification herein is for illustrative purposes only. Various deviations and modifications may be made within the spirit and scope of this invention, without departing from a main theme thereof. 

1. A method for de-icing of trains comprising the steps of: heating a treatment medium, spraying and said treatment medium upwardly against underside portions of trains; collecting said treatment medium for reuse.
 2. The method is claimed in claim 1 wherein said treatment medium comprises: glycol.
 3. The method of claimed in claim 1 wherein said step of collecting said treatment medium is followed by the step of: cleaning said treatment medium.
 4. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said treatment medium comprises: polypropylenglycol.
 5. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said step of collecting said treatment medium further comprises: collecting said treatment medium in a collection tank below said train.
 6. The method as claimed in claim 1 said step of collecting said treatment medium in a collection tank below said train further comprises: collecting said treatment medium in a plurality of collecting tanks.
 7. An apparatus for de-icing of trains on tracks comprising: a heater for heating a de-icing medium, a sprayer for spraying the underside of said trains with said medium, with said sprayer disposed proximate to said tracks, at least one collection tank for collecting said sprayed medium with said collection tank disposed proximate to said tracks, and re-circulating connections disposed connecting said connection tank said heater and said sprayer for re-circulating said medium.
 8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein said medium comprises: glycol.
 9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein said medium comprises: polypropylenglycol.
 10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7 further comprising: a plurality of collection tanks with said collection tanks disposed proximate to sides of said tracks.
 11. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7 further comprising: a cleaner connected to said re-circulating connections for cleaning said medium.
 12. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said step of heating a treatment medium further comprises: heating said treatment medium to a temperature in the order of 90 degrees C.
 13. The method for de-icing of trains as claimed in claim 1 wherein said step of collecting said treatment medium comprises: collecting said treatment medium dripping from said underside portions of trains.
 14. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7 further comprising: a collection tank disposed between said tracks.
 15. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7 further comprising: a collection tank disposed along side and disposed outwardly relative to said tracks.
 16. A method for de-icing of trains comprising the steps of: heating a treatment medium, spraying said treatment medium against underside portions of trains with said spray directed in a generally vertical direction, collecting said treatment medium and re-circulating said treatment medium for reuse.
 17. The method is claimed in claim 16 wherein said treatment medium comprises: glycol.
 18. An apparatus for de-icing of trains on tracks comprising: a heater for heating a de-icing medium, a sprayer for spraying the underside of said trains with said medium, with said sprayer disposed proximate to said tracks, with said sprayer disposed to direct a spray in a generally vertical direction, at least one collection tank for collecting said sprayed medium with said collection tank disposed proximate to said tracks, and re-circulating connections disposed connecting said connection tank said heater and said sprayer for re-circulating said medium.
 19. The method as claimed in claim 1, said step of collecting said treatment medium in a collection tank below said train further comprises the stop of: evaporating water contained in said treatment medium.
 20. The apparatus for de-icing of trains as claimed in claim 18 further comprises: a control unit connected to said heater and said recirculating connections and a leakage sensor connected to said control unit. 